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British and French appeasement, to 1938Positive opinion on Hitler

During the 1930s, Britain followed a policy of appeasement - giving Hitler what he wanted in order to keep the peace. There are a variety of reasons for this policy and debate around its effectiveness. Use this Higher History guide to learn about The Spanish Civil War, attitudes to the Paris Peace Settlement, and the effectiveness of appeasement.

Part of HistoryAppeasement and the Road to War

Positive opinion on Hitler

A photograph of Adolf Hitler greeting British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain at Munich 1938
Image caption,
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain meeting Adolf Hitler at Munich 1938

Chamberlain believed that Hitler was making extreme statements only to gain publicity and that he was essentially a reasonable man who would choose negotiation rather than conflict.

Several prominent British politicians were very impressed by Hitler.

During the early 1930s a number of British people expressed their admiration for Hitler鈥檚 achievements. After the ruinous end of WWI, Hitler appeared to have rebuilt Germany and made it a powerful country again.

The former Prime Minster, David Lloyd George, expressed his support for Hitler鈥檚 demands and even travelled to meet him in 1936. He described Hitler as a man of supreme quality.

The Labour MP and former party leader George Lansbury, who was a , wrote in 1937 that Hitler would not go to war unless other people pushed him into it.

For some of Britain's ruling classes, Hitler's style of government was seen as admirable. Germany's successful transport infrastructure, economy and low unemployment levels were also admired.

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